Here's what terrifies me. With the Bruins elimination, the Rangers basically have an open door all the way to the Cup Finals. None of the remaining teams in the East should be able to hang with them in a 7 game series. The Devils/Panthers are horrible teams, the Caps are the Caps and are riding a minor league goalie--you can usually win a series under those circumstances but never go deep in the playoffs--and the Flyers have been owned by the Rangers and have a goalie who cannot stop a beachball. The West is inferior to the East by a long way this year which means they will be the favorite against whoever they play in the finals (LA is the only team I would be concerned facing). Also, the Rangers, one of the worst franchises in the history of sports, has NEVER lost a game 7 in its own building. Never. Accordingly, the Rangers will lose tonight, in positively heartbreaking fashion--the Sens will tie the game after Chris Neil is allowed to hit Lundqvist with a brickbat as Folgino whines at the puck which will come to a dead stop on the goal line as time expires--but the red light will mysteriously go on. A review in Toronto will confirm that although the puck did not cross the goal line, it counts as a goal because some America-hating official in the League office will deem it a goal. In overtime, Shanny will declare Martin Biron's existence to be a threat to player safety and have him removed from the game. The Rangers will be forced to play without a goaltender and lose when Neil still manages to crash into the goal before Spezza buries it. athough the goal will be clearly off the magnets, the league office will uphold the goal on review on the grounds that Canada needs a winner.

Thereafter, Bettman will ban Torts and Lundqvist for life for smirking and saying "no comment" at the press conference after the game.

Dick Rosenthal wrote:Here's what terrifies me. With the Bruins elimination, the Rangers basically have an open door all the way to the Cup Finals. None of the remaining teams in the East should be able to hang with them in a 7 game series. The Devils/Panthers are horrible teams, the Caps are the Caps and are riding a minor league goalie--you can usually win a series under those circumstances but never go deep in the playoffs--and the Flyers have been owned by the Rangers and have a goalie who cannot stop a beachball. The West is inferior to the East by a long way this year which means they will be the favorite against whoever they play in the finals (LA is the only team I would be concerned facing). Also, the Rangers, one of the worst franchises in the history of sports, has NEVER lost a game 7 in its own building. Never. Accordingly, the Rangers will lose tonight, in positively heartbreaking fashion--the Sens will tie the game after Chris Neil is allowed to hit Lundqvist with a brickbat as Folgino whines at the puck which will come to a dead stop on the goal line as time expires--but the red light will mysteriously go on. A review in Toronto will confirm that although the puck did not cross the goal line, it counts as a goal because some America-hating official in the League office will deem it a goal. In overtime, Shanny will declare Martin Biron's existence to be a threat to player safety and have him removed from the game. The Rangers will be forced to play without a goaltender and lose when Neil still manages to crash into the goal before Spezza buries it. athough the goal will be clearly off the magnets, the league office will uphold the goal on review on the grounds that Canada needs a winner.

Thereafter, Bettman will ban Torts and Lundqvist for life for smirking and saying "no comment" at the press conference after the game.

Dick Rosenthal wrote:Here's what terrifies me. With the Bruins elimination, the Rangers basically have an open door all the way to the Cup Finals. None of the remaining teams in the East should be able to hang with them in a 7 game series. The Devils/Panthers are horrible teams, the Caps are the Caps and are riding a minor league goalie--you can usually win a series under those circumstances but never go deep in the playoffs--and the Flyers have been owned by the Rangers and have a goalie who cannot stop a beachball. The West is inferior to the East by a long way this year which means they will be the favorite against whoever they play in the finals (LA is the only team I would be concerned facing). Also, the Rangers, one of the worst franchises in the history of sports, has NEVER lost a game 7 in its own building. Never. Accordingly, the Rangers will lose tonight, in positively heartbreaking fashion--the Sens will tie the game after Chris Neil is allowed to hit Lundqvist with a brickbat as Folgino whines at the puck which will come to a dead stop on the goal line as time expires--but the red light will mysteriously go on. A review in Toronto will confirm that although the puck did not cross the goal line, it counts as a goal because some America-hating official in the League office will deem it a goal. In overtime, Shanny will declare Martin Biron's existence to be a threat to player safety and have him removed from the game. The Rangers will be forced to play without a goaltender and lose when Neil still manages to crash into the goal before Spezza buries it. athough the goal will be clearly off the magnets, the league office will uphold the goal on review on the grounds that Canada needs a winner.

Thereafter, Bettman will ban Torts and Lundqvist for life for smirking and saying "no comment" at the press conference after the game.

You forgot the part about Rangers' fans creating satirical scenarios to justify their comparatively poor play.

I'm just not sure if the Rags have the horses for multiple long series. I forget where I saw but the average TOI is greatly skewed towards the top, which is fine for a series or two but gets increasingly difficult moving forward. Guys wear down, guys pick up nicks, and all that jazz. Not to mention they are basically the bizarro Bruins in that they can't score 5-on-5. That can carry you far, hell it brought the Canucks to the brink of the Stanley Cup last year, but is certainly concerning.

And go LA and St. Louis, I guess. Or really any team out West. The rest of the teams in the East can pretty much eat a bowl of dicks for all I care. Not out of a deep-seated anger, more out of ambivalence and general annoyance. Except for Ottawa. Craig Anderson seems like a good dude and if you hate Alfie you are probably a horrible human being.

Last edited by flyingelvii on Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

True enough, but they have had a tremendous amount of help from the officals. With that said, among the remaining teams there is no one left who can bring Ottawa's size and physicality to the ice. And that is the way you beat the Rangers, you out muscle them and get them off their steady tempo.

I hated this match up from the outset--although I didn't think Ottawa would get this kind of goaltending--chalk it up to the "lightning in a bottle" series for Anderson (the law of averages says he falls off a cliff in the next round). The Bruins were also not a favorable match up in that regard--despite the Rangers dominance in the regular season. Of the remaining Eastern teams, there are none who can bring that sort of physicality to bear. The Rangers demonstrated time and again that they are stronger and tougher then the Flyers and Devils and I think the Panthers and Caps barely belong in the contender conversation.

Dick Rosenthal wrote:Here's what terrifies me. With the Bruins elimination, the Rangers basically have an open door all the way to the Cup Finals. None of the remaining teams in the East should be able to hang with them in a 7 game series. The Devils/Panthers are horrible teams, the Caps are the Caps and are riding a minor league goalie--you can usually win a series under those circumstances but never go deep in the playoffs--and the Flyers have been owned by the Rangers and have a goalie who cannot stop a beachball. The West is inferior to the East by a long way this year which means they will be the favorite against whoever they play in the finals (LA is the only team I would be concerned facing). Also, the Rangers, one of the worst franchises in the history of sports, has NEVER lost a game 7 in its own building. Never. Accordingly, the Rangers will lose tonight, in positively heartbreaking fashion--the Sens will tie the game after Chris Neil is allowed to hit Lundqvist with a brickbat as Folgino whines at the puck which will come to a dead stop on the goal line as time expires--but the red light will mysteriously go on. A review in Toronto will confirm that although the puck did not cross the goal line, it counts as a goal because some America-hating official in the League office will deem it a goal. In overtime, Shanny will declare Martin Biron's existence to be a threat to player safety and have him removed from the game. The Rangers will be forced to play without a goaltender and lose when Neil still manages to crash into the goal before Spezza buries it. athough the goal will be clearly off the magnets, the league office will uphold the goal on review on the grounds that Canada needs a winner.

Thereafter, Bettman will ban Torts and Lundqvist for life for smirking and saying "no comment" at the press conference after the game.

I would much rather be playing the Devils/Panthers than the Caps in round 2. Perhaps I will later be less happy about this.

6 one way, half dozen the other. The Devils and Panthers are fucking horrible teams. There is no doubt about that. With that said, the Caps have an AHL goalie in net and the law of averages says that they have wrung everything they can expect out of that kid. Also, let's face it, this iteration of the Caps is not known for being able to keep it together for long in the playoffs. We've watched them win first series Game 7s before and then watched them promptly drive off a cliff in the second round.

As long as Mike Green is logging significant minutes for the Caps they have major trouble in their defensive corps.

flyingelvii wrote:Guys wear down, guys pick up nicks, and all that jazz.

I would never allow a Ranger to touch me.

Dick Rosenthal wrote:I hated this match up from the outset--although I didn't think Ottawa would get this kind of goaltending--chalk it up to the "lightning in a bottle" series for Anderson (the law of averages says he falls off a cliff in the next round). The Bruins were also not a favorable match up in that regard--despite the Rangers dominance in the regular season. Of the remaining Eastern teams, there are none who can bring that sort of physicality to bear. The Rangers demonstrated time and again that they are stronger and tougher then the Flyers and Devils and I think the Panthers and Caps barely belong in the contender conversation.

Regarding Anderson, this isn't the first time he's done that. Depending on what happens with some of the other goalies (Thomas ages, Howard can't recreate his first half of this year, etc), then I think Anderson would have to be under consideration for the 2014 Olympic team, along with Quick and Miller. The ability to get hot and steal games (as Miller did in 2010 in front of a lesser team than the US will field in 2014) is indispensable.

Dick Rosenthal wrote:As long as Mike Green is logging significant minutes for the Caps they have major trouble in their defensive corps.

Wideman and Hamrlik have been much bigger problems, although every time Green is out there I expect even the slowest of slow forwards to skate right around him. He hasn't been rushing deep into the zone like in past seasons. Not sure if he's finally realized he is a defenseman or if it's Hunter's influence.

Either way, this iteration of the Caps is extremely different from those past teams. Not saying that will change the outcome, but the last decade of teams never blocked shots or kept opponents out of the middle like this squad.